Filing a complaint

I can't be the only one who hates it when someone says, "You look tired." Unfortunately, I've been getting that more and more since I've been working longer hours. Just now, as I am ending my work day (which was shorter than usual, I might add) I was on the phone, and a woman said, "You sound tired." Gee, thanks. Maybe I just needed a drink of water or something. I don't feel that tired. Anyway...just a note: Don't tell someone they look tired unless you're trying to annoy them.

On another topic: Did anyone see the lunar eclipse the other night? It began at about 2 a.m. Tuesday morning here in California, so I guess it would have been pretty late/early Tuesday in Michigan. I stayed up to see the very beginning of it, but then I got really tired (and I probably even *looked* tired) and went to bed. I guess it was a sight to see though. The moon was incredibly bright that night. I pulled off to look at the ocean under that bright moonlight. Usually, the ocean and the sky above it is so dark (for obvious reasons), but not that night. It was a crystal clear, but I couldn't even see many stars because of the moon's brightness. It was cool.

Good times

After a whirlwind couple of weeks with my parents here to visit, I'm tired! We had a great time though, and a little tiredness is a small price to pay for a visit from the folks. Actually, I think I tired them out more than I tired myself out : ) We did *almost* everything on my long to-do list, and I think they had a good Northcoast experience.
Just a few of the highlights include: the ocean, redwoods, rivers, a jet boat tour of the Rogue River in Oregon, lighthouses, a picnic on a very scenic overlook, movies, games (Yahtzee and No-peek), sunsets, tidepooling, hikes, the Yurok Tribe's Klamath Salmon Festival, the harbor, seabird-watching, sea lions, a spectacular meteor shower, seafood, stone skipping on the Smith River, Trees of Mystery...and so on...
The photo is us at our picnic on the scenic overlook. I was on my lunch break from work, hence the work clothes.

Toes in the Sand

It's nice to be able to go to the beach any time I want to. This day, I kept seeing sea lions bobbing along near the beach. They would pop their heads up, look at me (and other people on the beach) and then dip back under the water before popping up again. Very cute!

Redwood Hostel

Saturday was my first experience with a hostel—The Redwood Hostel. It's located south of Crescent City about a half-hour away. The building is a historical place, and was celebrating its 100th birthday, while the business was celebrating 20 years as a hostel. (Just in case you don't know what a hostel is, it's like a dorm/hotel for travelers. A bed costs about $20 per night, but you will likely share your room with other people unless you get a family room or something. It's sort of communal living, with a shared bathroom, kitchen, dining room and living room area).
So anyway, The Triplicate did a story on the landmark event, and our photographer booked a gig for his band while he was out there getting photos. So several of us from the newspaper took a trip to the hostel! It was really neat—there were people from all over the country staying there, and some people from out of the country. The building, right on Hwy. 101, is nestled into the side of a hill, all surrounded by vegetation, and it overlooks the ocean and a small beach. It really is picturesque.
There was one older man there whose ancestor was the original owner of the property, and he had a lot of whopping stories to tell about his family and different things that happened around Crescent City. He's still upset at the government for taking his family's home though. The hostel, before it was a hostel, was swallowed up by the National Park Service when they created Redwood National Park. It sat in disrepair for some time before they renovated it (though it still has an "old" feel) and began running it as a youth hostel.
It was a great experience to be there and meet so many different kinds of people.

Life update

For those of you who don't know yet, Rick is back in Michigan, and he just started working at Allstate, selling health insurance. He'll start his last class in August, and then he'll finally be a college grad! Yeah! We're sad to be apart, but we talk every day (several times a day). Once he finishes with school, we'll make the decision of where to live (California or Michigan) depending on his job status. We'd like to start a family while we're still young! : )
I'm livin' la vida sola, but am suddenly very busy with work, as my boss (editor) was just fired last week. That makes me in charge of the newsroom for the time being (interim editor!). It's stressful, but possible.
I'm looking forward to my parents' visit in August. I've made a laundry list of things for us to do. I hope they're ready to be kept busy (except while I'm at work - then they're on their own). Just FYI: The next post is new too. I guess I was feeling ambitious today.

Boy Scout Trail

Those Boy Scouts sure know how to pick a trail through the woods. Last weekend, I went on a long(ish) hike with a co-worker (Hilary) and another co-worker's (Cornelia's) husband. Cornelia has trouble walking, but her husband likes to hike now and then, so Hilary and I invited him to come with us. The three of us chose the Boy Scout Trail, which winds through old growth redwoods just east of Crescent City. The map says there is a Boy Scout tree somewhere along the way, so we were keeping our eyes peeled for it. We got to the end of the trail, which is a little waterfall, and we never saw the tree. But on our way back to the trailhead, we noticed a little path that led away from the main path. We just thought it went nowhere, but as we passed it, we noticed a very large tree that could probably be gotten to by taking that little side trail. So we doubled back and took the side trail to this very large tree, and lo-and-behold, it was the Boy Scout tree! It was the largest redwood tree I've ever seen. We sat down on a little nature-made bench to rest for a few minutes and look at the tree. The moss that was growing on it was an amazing shade of green. So fresh and bright - almost neon. All the greens in the forest are that color. The newer ferns on the forest floor are a shade of green that seems almost fake. It was a good hike, but my muscles were complaining loud and clear for the next few days. (The sign on the tree says "BOY SCOUT TREE")

Mingling with the masses

Last week was Crescent City's Street Fair, which basically consists of stores open later with specials, giveaways and special activities for kids. I volunteered to sit out front of the Daily Triplicate office and hand out free packets of wildflower seeds and free papers and maps. My publisher, Michele, came out and snapped this shot of me waiting for folks to walk by. People did come by, this was just during a lull. It was a fine day with sunshine and a pleasant breeze. When I was finished with my task outside, I was hustled back to my little desk and computer in the back, windowless room. (It's not as bad as I make it sound...usually).